On Wednesday, President Joseph Helble sent an email to the campus community addressing recent racist incidents. 

The Office of Student Involvement hosted a town hall last week with Greek life and the broader student body to share perspectives. Helble said he’s committed to taking action to make Lehigh a place where everyone feels they belong.

“As president, I unequivocally condemn racism and intolerance at Lehigh, and I am committing to taking steps to make Lehigh a place where everyone truly belongs,” he said in the email.

He said in response to the incidents, he’s created a “working group” of university leaders, led by Katherine Lavinder, vice president of student affairs, to develop actions to prevent racism on campus. 

The group also includes Provost Nathan Urban, Donald Outing, vice president of equity and community, Henry Odi, deputy vice president of equity, and General Council Matt Lahey. 

The email stated the group will focus on developing a clearer articulation of accountability, responsibility and consequences, as well as reviewing and improving education, orientation and training to reinforce racism has no place at Lehigh. 

Helble said these efforts, along with the adoption of the Chicago Principles — a free speech policy created by the University of Chicago and adopted by more than 100 universities — will help foster a respectful dialogue on campus. 

He wrote in the email that acts of racism are never acceptable on campus and won’t be tolerated, and that the adoption of the principles is intended to support respectful academic debate and discussion of challenging topics. 

He also said the work began over spring break, and the team will communicate specific actions to the campus within the next week. 

Helble said racism at Lehigh extends beyond these incidents. 

“This is about far more than a BORG or a party,” he said in the email. “This is about our culture and our community.”

He also said there’s progress to be made at Lehigh.

“There is far too much divisiveness in the world,” he wrote in the email. “We must be a place that shows others that we will not tolerate hate and that we will be a community that respects, values and includes all.”